Number of sea eagles in Scotland look set to soar

A SCOTTISH Natural Heritage (SNH) report predicts that the number of white-tailed eagles, also known as sea eagles, is likely to be around 221 pairs by 2025.

There have been three release phases to re-establish the birds – two on the west coast of Scotland from 1975-85 (Rum) and from 1993-98 (Wester Ross), plus one on the east coast (Fife) from 2007-12. There were 106 pairs of white-tailed eagles in Scotland in 2015.

The report, authored by researchers at RSPB’s Centre for Conservation Science, modelled a range of scenarios to predict the potential size of the sea eagle population, including scenarios with no limits on population growth.